Victor Ashe once told me that the News Sentinel’s endorsement was worth 3-4 percentage points in an election.

I have no idea if that’s true. The former Knoxville mayor is a shrewd political observer, and his estimate was within the range of what experts elsewhere have said in the past. A 2004 paper by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology cited studies that measured the effect as anywhere from 0 to 5 percent.

“If it’s a high-profile office, people have made up their minds and it doesn’t count that much,” Ashe elaborated recently. “If it’s an office like County Commission or register of deeds, an endorsement is more persuasive. And it gives bragging rights, because the candidates can put it in their brochures.”

Another factor was noted in a more recent study by some Brown University researchers: how surprising the endorsement is.

“Endorsements for the Democratic candidate from left-leaning newspapers are less influential than are endorsements from neutral or right-leaning newspapers,” the researchers said, “and likewise for endorsements for the Republican.” The unexpected has more credibility.

In this digital age, though, it's fair to wonder whether any endorsements matter, especially after the 2016 presidential race, when 57 of the largest newspapers endorsed the loser, Hillary Clinton, and just two endorsed now-President Donald Trump. Some of those were surprises, too, like the Arizona Republic, which had never before endorsed a Democrat.

I don’t know if any of the endorsements we’ve been running the past several days have been a surprise. I do know we’ve tried hard to make them credible. We invited all the Knox County candidates to interview with the News Sentinel, and almost all accepted. We've dedicated more space to each race this year to explain our reasoning, as well.

Integrity. Are there questions about a candidate’s judgment or honesty? Have they avoided demogoguery? Do they show political courage?

Credentials. What is their experience and education? Do they have a history of commitment to community?

Seriousness. A candidate who isn’t working hard to get elected is unlikely to invest much energy in the job. In today’s political environment, that means raising and spending campaign funds as well as knocking on doors. It also means understanding the office being sought and sticking to relevant issues.

Openness. Is the candidate committed to transparency and inclusive decision-making?

Ability to represent. Does the candidate reflect the values of the district? Will they contribute to the mix of perspectives on a legislative body? Are they unduly influenced by any special interests?

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if the candidates we recommend win or lose. The only way we really want to sway the election is by giving citizens more to think about, more to talk about, and more reason to get out and vote.

Jack McElroy is executive editor of the News Sentinel. He can be reached at editor@knoxnews.com.